Firehouse Sold To Original Bidder

WEST HARTFORD — One month after it withdrew its offer to him, the town council Wednesday voted to sell the former town firehouse on Brace Road to local businessman Edward S. Carrier for $285,000.

Early Wednesday morning, the council voted 7-2 to accept Carrier's $285,000 offer for the firehouse, which has been the focus of deliberations by the council for nearly two years. The vote came after Carrier had turned over a certified check and a signed option to buy the property from the town -- something he had not done when the council voted 5-4 on Sept. 14 to withdraw its offer to him.

The council had selected Carrier as the winning bidder for the property in May. But council members became angry last month when they learned Carrier had not signed the option agreement and had not paid for the property.

``I believe that vote got him to the table with a check,'' said Democratic Councilman Patrick McCabe.

Council members had debated whether the firehouse property could better serve the town by having a new retail and office building on the site -- as Carrier has proposed -- or by razing the building to create about 30 municipal parking spaces.

``I think it's really the best use of the property,'' McKernan said. ``I think from the figures we had concerning parking, I think it's an absolute [that we] sell it.''

Figures provided by the town administration estimated that the town would gain about $6,000 annually in revenue from parking receipts by putting spaces on the property. If the town had turned it into parking, it also would have taken the property off the tax rolls.

McCabe said there were three reasons he voted for selling the building to Carrier.

``One, because of the process we got maximum dollars for the property,'' McCabe said. ``Two, we got it back on the tax rolls. And third, it's going to bring additional shoppers in West Hartford center.''

Matties, who has long advocated tearing down the building, disagreed.

``We need the parking,'' Matties said. ``I believe that the revenue that would be derived from the parking -- I think the administration is being very conservative on that.''

Carrier cannot simply forge ahead with his plans to convert the building, however. Carrier must come before the council to request special development district zoning approval, and under the resolution adopted Wednesday he has until Jan. 10 to make that request.